I’m James Frost,
a singer-songwriter based in Dartmoor, England.
I’ve been honing my craft for many years, touring and travelling, walking the tightrope of the independent artist and following my path. It’s been hugely challenging and deeply joyful, like all the best things in life, and I believe in it passionately.
My songs are a window into my world, surrounded by the deep nature of Dartmoor where I live and a community of seekers and artists in the South West of England. The songs draw on my love of nature, the power of the collective, my personal healing journey and the awakening of consciousness being felt across the planet.
The songwriters that have inspired me include Mike Scott, David Gray, Damien Rice, Ben Howard and Nick Mulvey ... troubadours who play with sensitivity, heart and a collective spirit.
I have always been a musician, but it wasn't until my late 30s, when I quit my job and went to study on the Artist Development Programme at the British Academy of New Music in London, that I began to take it more seriously.
There, I wrote and recorded a series of songs that became the Nameless EP, collaborating with London vocalist Carmody and working with legendary record producer Clive Langer (Bowie, Byrne, Costello) who ran songwriting and production sessions. Upon release, the title track Nameless was chosen as one of BBC Radio 6 Music’s picks of the week, leading to a session for BBC Introducing and a sold-out show at the Servant Jazz Quarters in London.
In the following years I toured extensively, playing concerts with James Yorkston, Martha Tilston, Tiny Ruins and many other folk heroes, alongside festival appearances at Secret Garden Party, Glastonbury Festival and FolkEast. It was a time of living simply and surrendering to a life on the road, meeting audiences and connecting with a network of musicians, playing wherever I was invited and trusting an invisible thread of kindness that led me from place to place…
With growing support, I launched a crowdfunding campaign for my debut album ‘All Of Our Hands’, raising over £16,000, alongside additional backing from Arts Council England and Help Musicians.
I rehearsed and recorded with a live band and collaborated with musicians far and wide, giving each song a unique treatment and sound, ranging from swing-jazz and gospel to Americana, piano ballad and traditional folk. Featured guests on the album include Kyla Jade, Adrian Freedman and gospel choir Soul Of The City, as part of an international line-up of over 100 musicians and singers who contributed.
My vision was not only to make an album but also to provide opportunities for my followers to be part of the creative process. As a result, people were invited to join huge choirs at Real World Studios and Dartington Hall to sing directly onto the album they had pre-ordered. Online audiences also helped create a lyric booklet of paintings, illustrations, collages and children’s art.
Upon the album’s release, I wrote articles for The Guardian and The Ecologist about my musical journey, and appeared on various BBC radio shows and podcasts to discuss the collaborative recording process. I also released a behind-the-scenes documentary using interviews and footage filmed at the studio, and hosted a series of online listening parties to share the stories and inspiration behind the work.
The album has been streamed over 100,000 times and tracks have been played in conscious movement classes across the world, in places such as New York, London and Moscow, as the music finds its way out into people’s hearts.
I see the creative path as a rite of passage, requiring great resilience, courage, and resourcefulness. It has brought many gifts to my life and taken me on a great adventure, rich in soulful experiences. For that, I am so grateful.
To stay connected, please follow me online, and add my music to your favourite playlists. I am always happy to hear how the songs move you, which are your favourite tracks or where in the world you are listening.
Hope to sing with you one day…
James
x
Podcast Interview - A Musical Pilgrimage
A special podcast interview with Will Gethin of Conscious Frontiers, exploring my musical life through the lens of ‘The Hero’s Journey’ (as set out in the well-known book by Joseph Campbell).
Press Articles
Published on the eve of Beltane, this Guardian article follows my journey across the Isle and the writing of my song ‘Olde England Alive’.
This Ecologist article describes how community, crowdfunding and collaboration played vital roles in the making of my album ‘All Of Our Hands’.
